The Luna Disease
by Insanetrouble
Summary: When the doctor and Clara accidently find themselves on the moon, they run into AJ- the mysterious teenage genius they've met once before- who tells them of the strange Luna Disease that's caused the entire colony to be put into quarantine. But of course, it's never as simple as a disease and the doctor soon finds himself fighting to save them all... Sequel to 'Connection'
1. Chapter 1

"So... Where are we going?" Clara grinned as the doctor slid around the console, pulling levers and spinning wheels.

"The third moon of Laxtri! You'll love it- the sky is actually green! And the people!" They landed with a large bump, and he gestured towards the doors. "After you, Miss Oswald."

Clara grinned as she bounced towards the doors and flung them open, before pausing.

"Er... Doctor? The sky is... Not green." The doctor peered over her shoulder as she looked at him skeptically.

"Ah... Sorry." He winced. Clara sighed.

"Where are we?"

"The moon! In the 51st century! How did we...?" He spun to look at the console, but Clara stepped out, smiling as she stared around her.

"Wow..." She murmured. "Wait, how are we breathing? And how is there sunlight?"

"Artificial sunlight and atmosphere! You lot are clever aren't you. There's a whole colony of humans here- hospitals, schools, offices, homes, even a university! An entire world, on the moon." He grinned at her, but the smile faded as he caught sight of the armed guards marching towards them.

"Oh, that's extremely not good." He muttered as they surrounded them.

"You will come with us. Do not resist, or force will be used." A mechanical voice said.

"Robots!? Robot soldiers! On the moon!" The doctor laughed as he held up his hands in the air. "Hey, get off of my tardis!" He cried as another set of soldiers surrounded it with a large crane. They were marched across the green where they'd landed towards a tall glass building.

"Ok. Not normal." The doctor mumbled as they approached.

"What?" Clara hissed.

"The doors- they're air locked shut." He whispered back as they walked through them. Clara flinched as thy closed behind them with a powerful hiss, a clanking confirming they were well and truly secure. "We're in a fake atmosphere! Why would they need airlocks?" Clara opened her mouth, then shut it again as human soldiers came forward.

"Prisoner transfer complete." The automated voice said, before the group of robots marched away back outside.

"Please follow us." The expressionless soldier said, and they marched on through the long corridors.

"Where are you taking us then?" The doctor asked as they walked. The man didn't respond.

"Oh, come on! If you're going to kill us, can we at least know about it?" The doctor exclaimed. The soldier scowled.

"We're not going to kill you. We're under orders to bring you before the high council." He told them coldly. Before long, they were lead into a large room that was dominated by the large table in the centre, where several people sat.

"Oh, hello!" The doctor smiled. "I'm the doctor, and this is Clara. I think there's been some mistake-"

"We know who you are doctor." A short, round man stood up and walked towards them, frowning sternly. "What are you doing here?"

"Ah, see, we kind of took a wrong turn somewhere. Was supposed to be going to Laxtri, not entirely sure how we ended up here..." The doctor trailed off when he saw their faces. "I think I'm missing something. Do you get that feeling, Clara?"

"Just a little." She said, exasperated, putting her hands on her hips. Before anything else could be said, the doors were flung open and a familiar teenage hurried through.

"Governor! Slight misunderstanding- these two are earlier in their time streams than before. They genuinely have no idea what's going on!" AJ said breathlessly. The man scowled.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure!" She crossed her arms, frowning at the man. "Release them, now. I'll deal with them."

"Miss S-"

"Governor! I will deal with them, I promise. Just release them." She interrupted him quickly, frowning at him. They stared at each other for a long moment.

"Fine. But you are responsible for them and their actions." He finally relented. AJ nodded curtly.

"Understood." She gestured to the doctor and Clara and walked out with them trailing after her. As soon as they'd turned the corner and were out of sight she spun on her heel and glared at them.

"Are you two crazy coming back here!? Thank god governor stupid face doesn't have a clue about time streams or you'd both be locked up by now! Honestly, of all the stupid things to do..." She ranted at them, keeping her voice low so as to not alert the guards.

"What?! We didn't actually mean to come here... It was an accident." The doctor protested. AJ blinked in surprise.

"Wait, you really are earlier in your time stream?" She questioned. The pair nodded.

"Huh. That's complicated." She commented. "So... Have you met me before?"

"Well, obviously-" Clara began, but the doctor quickly put his hand over her mouth.

"Have you done England?" He asked, not removing his hand. AJ nodded.

"The first time you met me, and I'm assuming you haven't since... Doubly complicated." She mused while Clara, confused, licked the doctor's hand in frustration.

"Ew! Clara!" he snatched his hand away and jumped up and down, waving his hand in the air before finally wiping it on Clara's dress.

"Oh, stop it you two." AJ grabbed their hands and hauled them down the corridor, eventually dragging them into an lift at the end.

"Identification?" A smooth voice sounded as the lights flashed and the doors closed. Clara looked vaguely uneasy, but AJ was perfectly calm.

"Smith, AJ, number 2029."

"Acknowledged."

"Floor 46." The lift whirred and Clara had the unsettling feeling she was about to fall through the floor, before they came to an abrupt halt and the doors slid open. AJ led them out through another maze of corridors before coming to a stop and scanning her palm to allow them access to the room they'd come to.

"My tardis!" The doctor bounced out and threw his arms around his ship, murmuring as he scanned her with his screwdriver.

"Oh please." Clara raised an eyebrow at him, which he ignored. She wandered around the room, looking at the equipment. There were several large tables covered in papers and books, as well as holographic computer terminals and the walls were covered in sketches and drawings, photos and calculations. Stairs that spiralled up in the middles of the room led up to another level, on which she could see bookshelves filled with various references. She let out a gasp as the room suddenly brightened, moving closer the the wall that had suddenly become a glass window. She stared out in shock and wonder, looking over the huge city of which she'd only seen a tiny part earlier.

"Luna city. Not terribly inventive with names, are we?" AJ came to stand beside her, looking out over the buildings and parks in front of her. "Over one million people live in this colony. The elderly, children and babies. Scientists and artists and politicians and soldiers. An entire culture. An entire world."

"Where are they all?" Clara wondered, not seeing a single person in the streets below her, despite the bright sunshine. AJ looked at her questioning, pointedly gesturing to the city below them. "No, I mean why aren't they out there? Apart from the soldiers and the men in the room before, there's not a one single person."

AJ laughed delightedly.

"Oh, doctor, she's good." Her lips twisted into a smile as she looked at him, but he didn't return it. He walked over to them, face serious.

"I was wondering that as well. The Luna colony is not a military establishment, the only base is a protective one built to politely dissuade would-be attackers. So why the escorts? And as Clara said... Where is everyone? Why does a SIMPLE teenage girl hold such sway over the high council, and have access to what is obviously one of the highest security establishments on this colony? It isn't normal, not by a long way. What, AJ Smith, aren't you telling us?"

**_Hello! Thank you for reading- please review! X_**


	2. Chapter 2

AJ looked at him for a long moment. Seeming to come to a decision, she gestured for them to take a seat in a soft searing area beside them, underneath the library floor.

"Four months ago, a body was discovered. Seemingly petrified, the young woman was in the middle of the street in broad daylight. Witnesses swore they'd seen her walking around minutes before she was found, but nobody knew how she'd gotten there."

"Petrified?" Asked Clara.

"Frozen, if you will. Caught in a state of suspended animation, her basic brain functions were still working even while her higher functions weren't. For lack of a cure, she was placed in the coma ward. She had no family, no close friends and so she was mostly forgotten about by everyone. Until a week later, when an elderly man was discovered by his wife, in his home in the same condition. Six days later, a middle aged housewife, mother of five was found in the park. Six days after that, a four year old in her back garden. Another six days, a university student in his dorm room. Five days, a politician in his office. It continued, striking randomly and gradually speeding up until it was affecting a hundred people a day. That was when the high council ordered a curfew, not that it did much good. The patients were transferred over into special wards, but they soon filled up.

"The news was going crazy, people were panicking. They called it 'The Luna Disease'. So the high council sought assistance from Dr River Song, a well known time traveler and expert on most things alien. While everyone else was running around trying to find a cure for the patients, she and a small team of specialists worked on why it was happening. They discovered there were actually creatures living among us. Only some people could see them, most can't; they discovered it seemed to be time travelers or people who believe in the extra terrestrial who could see them. People who see the universe differently to everyone else. The council then declared the planet was off limits to all. Nobody leaving, nobody entering. Then suddenly, one month ago the attacks stopped. No warning, no explanation. After a week, the high council lifted the curfew and restrictions, and refused to listen to our warnings. Dr Song was sent back to the stormcage facility, and the teams were disbanded. When another body was found two days, the council dismissed it as simply one that hadn't been found before. But of course, it wasn't."

"These creatures- did you identify them?" the doctor asked.

"No. The best we could work out was that they're very distant cousins of the weeping angels." The doctor flinched as she said this.

"Ok then. So… we need to get River back out of Stormcage, find the creatures, identify them and work out why they stopped, save the entire colony and get River back in time dinner!" he stood up suddenly and headed towards the tardis, but was stopped by AJ grabbing his jacket and bringing him to a halt.

"Nuh uh, old man. You're going to wherever it was you were before you landed here, and forgetting this." Clara held back a giggle at the expression on the doctors' face.

"What?! But, I…" he spluttered. "How old are you?!"

"I'm older than I look. And you're going to intersect your own time stream if you're not careful, and I'd rather not have to deal with a paradox or the end of the universe today. So go away."

"No." the doctor crossed his arms sulkily. "I'm nearly one thousand years older than you. You can't tell me what to do!"

He waited for the usual shock factor that came with that statement, but AJ simply raised an eyebrow and crossed her own arms.

"Leave. Now."

"Shan't."

"Oh, for gods sake you two, act like adults would you?" they both turned from their glaring to face the woman at the door. River walked in with a look of amusement on her face.

"River." The doctor didn't look surprised at her appearance.

"Hello Sweetie." She walked over to him, swinging her hips as she did so. She reached up and brushed her lips against his chastely, causing him to blink slightly in surprise.

"I was just wishing for you." He told her, but regretted it when a slow smirk spread across her lips.

"Oh, really?" He blushed.

"Riiiver, not like that. Although-"

"Okay, guys before this gets really gross can I cut in?!" AJ interrupted hastily, looking slightly green.

"Sorry dear. Right then, have you got them up to date?" River asked, swinging the bag she was carrying onto the table and settling herself on a stool. AJ nodded in response, and River looked pleased.

"Wonderful. Sweetie, where are we?" she slipped her diary from an inside pocket and the doctor did the same. Looking bored, AJ wandered over to one of the tables and began to sort through books on there. After a moment's hesitation, Clara followed her.

"What are they doing?" she asked quietly.

"They're both time travelers, so they never meet in the right order. They're syncing their diaries so they know where the other is in their shared time stream, and that way avoid any spoilers."

"What's spoilers?"

"For the future. Foreknowledge of the future is dangerous. Knowing you'll do something because someone told you, means you then _have _to do it. And if you then don't do it, or change it, you could tear a hole in the universe. Better to just avoid them all together."

"And that's why the doctor can't know you're his daughter?" AJ gasped, the books slipping from her fingers with a series of thumps as she stared at Clara in horror.

"You alright, AJ?" River called out to her from across the room where she sat with the doctor.

"Er… yeah, everything's fine." AJ called back shakily. River turned back to the diaries and the teenager spun back to Clara. "No, I'm not." She stuttered. Clara grabbed her fingers in reassurance.

"It's ok, I've known since England. And I haven't told him yet, have I?" AJ cast an anxious glance at the laughing couple.

"It's too early in both their timelines to know who I am." AJ told her softly as she and Clara both watched them.

"But.. I thought your mother…?" AJ shook her head sadly.

"She… left on an expedition a few months ago. She didn't come back." AJ said emotionlessly. Clara, however, wasn't fooled and the girl's clenched fists proved her right. She slipped her fingers through hers and squeezed gently.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered. AJ squeezed back with a sheen of tears in her eyes.

"So am I." she murmured. They both watched the pair, who had finished diaries and were standing pouring over documents and simultaneously flirting.

"You know, I thought them looking at me and not knowing who I am was going to be the most painful thing I'd ever have to go through. But… knowing when I do I can't go home and hug them like last time? That hurts more than anything else."

Oblivious to the teenagers' confession, the doctor and River carried on their flirting and laughter, and the look on AJ's face made Clara's heart break.

"Right, so, distant cousins of the angles. Same weaknesses?" the doctor asked.

"They have weaknesses?" AJ asked, feigning surprise, shaking off her earlier emotions.

"She has a point." Agreed River. "Different strengths though. AJ, is there still surveillance on the suspected base?"

"'Course. Had to set up a camera but it's been live broadcasting for weeks. Hasn't caught anything though." AJ replied, reaching behind her and pressing a few buttons on a keyboard, bringing a screen on the wall alive to show a cave nestled in a cliff.

"Are we sure this is the only entrance?" River asked. AJ shrugged.

"I looked over old surveyors plans, and there weren't any but they only explored the main tunnels. Didn't look in any of the side ones." She told her. "Computer, run creature recognition on current tape."

"Working." Clara looked impressed.

"It has voice commands?" she grinned. AJ looked at her quizzically.

"Well, yeah. This isn't the twentieth century." Clara frowned, but before she could say anything else the door opened and teenage boy flew in.

"Li! You here?" he called loudly, skidding to a stop when he saw the group. "Oh, sorry. Hi Dr Song, Doctor. Sorry to interrupt, but they found another three bodies down at Luna Beach."

"Oh heck." AJ muttered. The boy looked grim.

"Yeah. It's not pretty- there's probably gonna be an emergency meeting called in the next half hour, so you might want to hurry." The doctor looked confused.

"Apart from the obvious, why is this such a problem?" he asked.

"Because we're in the middle of summer, and Luna Beach is one of the most popular and busy tourist destinations there is. Meaning the press is going to have a field day, and the high council s going to try and pass the blame onto us." AJ supplied as she whizzed around the room, throwing seemingly random items into a bag.

"Not to mention the fact that these creatures just took out three people, unnoticed, in the one of the busiest areas of the colony. They're getting bolder." The boy was copying AJ, obviously familiar with the chaotic office.

"So… just a normal day at the office then." Clara said sarcastically, passing over the items AJ pointed out to her.

"Pretty much." The doctor agreed. The boy looked over to her.

"Hello. I'm Peter." He introduced.

"Clara." She smiled at him.

"Come one you two. And Peter, she's too old for you, so don't even think about it. No offense Clara." AJ shot him a grin, grabbed their hands and dragged them out, with River and the doctor on her tail.

"I'm supposed to do the dragging around." The latter complained sullenly.


	3. Chapter 3

"We will have order!" the disagreeable man from earlier yelled, and the crowd of panicked people settled down into their seats, occasionally casting wary glances towards the windows. AJ, the doctor, Clara and Peter stood against the back wall, the first covertly typing and sending messages on a handheld console. River had zapped herself back to stormcage so she could be formally requested and transferred.

"Thank you. Miss Smith- how fast can you reassemble your former team?" the Governor asked. AJ didn't look up from her device.

"Already done." She said coolly. The governor spluttered slightly, and she raised her head with a scornful look. "We warned you it wasn't over. We've been on alert ever since the restrictions were lifted. Dr Song is already packed, and the scientists are currently reassembling the labs you ordered destroyed."

The governor flailed for a moment, before nodding rapidly. "Ah… good. Good. So, ah… Captain…"

He continued talking for a long time, but eventually AJ grabbed Clara and motioned for them to exit, so the four of them slipped from the room.

"It's just him throwing his weight around; no point in us being there." She said as she strode down the corridor.

"Er… AJ? Are you ok?" asked Peter tentatively. She continued walking quickly; never looking up from the messages she was sending and receiving.

"Oh, I'm just dandy." Her voice was curt, and Peter exchanged an apprehensive glance with the others.

"Li, what's up?" he put on a burst of speed to walk next to her, catching her hand in his. She stopped abruptly, upset. She seemed to try to hold back the words, before she let loose in a distraught outburst.

"We told them! We told them Peter, and they didn't listen and now people are dying! And if they'd just listened to us then we might have prevented it!" her voice rose with every word, but she quickly cut off when two soldiers marched past, causing them all to press to the sides.

"This wasn't your fault." Peter told her.

"He's right." Agreed Clara. "You couldn't have prevented this."

"I could have tried." AJ said, bitterness and grief worming into her tone.

"Why you?" The doctor asked suddenly. The three looked at him in confusion.

"Excuse me?" AJ crossed her arms defensively.

"Why you? Why are you so special? You're just a kid, probably haven't even finished school yet. You're clever, but so are lots of teenagers and you don't see them working for the high council." The doctor stared at her suspiciously, and didn't see the anxious glances Peter and Clara shot each other.

"I have... Unique talents that the high council wishes to utilize. It's a mutuality beneficial arrangement. And for your information? I graduated university with a double PhD almost a year ago. You're not the only genius in town, doctor, not that's it's any of your business." AJ stared at him coldly, biting out the words before turning on her heel and striding away from them, her handheld already beeping as she typed.

"I'm sorry about her." Apologized Peter. "She's under a lot of pressure... She may be an intellectual genius but emotionally she's still a sixteen year old girl."

The doctor stared after her thoughtfully, before beginning to walk after her at a slower pace, the other pair following.

"Why is she under so much pressure? Surely an adult would be better suited to the job?" He pressed. Peter shifted uncomfortably, but relented under the questioning.

"The team AJ works for specialises in the creatures, whereas most of the other teams concentrate on the victims, or on prevention. It was only set up when the attacks began, and her mother was put in charge because she had the most knowledge of alien life, and had... unique experiences. When she died a few months ago, AJ took over leadership until a replacement was found."

"River was that replacement?" The doctor asked. Peter nodded in affirmation as they entered the lift.

"But this is Rivers' future. On top of all the normal work, AJ's had to dance around trying to prevent her accidentally discovering anything she shouldn't. Not to mention dealing with her sister, child services, her father and the creatures themselves." They reached the office, but found it empty, the computer whirring away to itself and the lights dimmed.

"Computer, locate AJ." Peter instructed.

"Working." Peter turned to them, sadness on his face.

"Don't tell her I told you. She hates to be perceived as weak- even with her own parents she never normally cried. If she does, you know something's really wrong."

'AJ located, 42nd floor. Do you wish to contact her?" The computers smooth voice sounded.

"No thanks. She must be in the labs."

"Alright, we'll catch up with her later. In the meantime, we need to get a closer look at this den thingy they have. Any ideas?" the doctor danced around the room as he spoke, eyes fixed on the film that was still running on the mounted screen.

"Sneak in?" suggested Clara. The doctor turned to her disapprovingly.

"Clara! Honestly, we have no idea what they are or how they choose their victims, and you want to just waltz in there? Have I taught you nothing?" Clara suppressed an amused smirk at the faux glare he gave her.

"No… it's much better if we just walk in an ask to speak to whoever's in charge." He said decisively, settling down on a chair and ignoring the spluttering of Clara and Peter.

"_That's _your plan? Walk in and ask for a meeting!?" squeaked Clara in shock. Peter gaped at him in astonishment.

"What?" the doctor asked innocently. They continued to stare at him.

"Hello Sweetie." Greeted River as she walked in. She waved her fingers over her shoulder and flashed a seductive smile at the clerics that had escorted her in. "Thanks for the ride boys!"

She flounced into the room, but paused when she saw the faces of Clara and Peter, quickly putting two and two together.

"Oh dear, what's he done now?" she sighed, turning to the man in question and looking at him inquiringly. "Well?"

"I only outlined my plan to them, and now they're looking at me like I'm mad!" he pouted. River hid a grin.

"You are mad sweetie." She lent up to kiss his cheek. He continued to pout, although his eyes had a new twinkle.

"Doesn't mean they have to stare." He pointed out, causing River to chuckle.

"Poor baby. Now if you're quite finished, what's got them in such a huff?" she asked, so he told her.

"You cannot be serious!" she stared at him with wide eyes and Peter gestured silently, as if to say 'see!'

"Well, tell me then River, do you have another plan?" he demanded, the laughter dying from his face.

"Yes! Not dying!"

"I won't die. I'll just be frozen in a state of stasis with strange unidentified creatures feeding of my unused time energy." He said calmly.

"Oh, well that's all right then!" snapped River. At this point, AJ walked in carrying a box of files, looking taken aback at the raised voices. She put the box down and sent Peter a questioning look as River and the doctor continued to argue. He shrugged, drawing her into his arms as she hovered awkwardly. She instantly relaxed, resting her head on his shoulder as they watched the pair argue.

"Are they always like this?" whispered Clara.

"It's either this or incessant flirting." AJ murmured back.

"OK! We'll just all sneak in and just hope they don't see us and that I don't get a teenage girl killed!" the doctor finally yelled. He and River were both breathing heavily, staring at each other and standing much to close to be considered decent.

"Ok." River said softly, nodding once as she slowly took a step back. "Although maybe we'll leave out the bit about getting teenagers killed."

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind that either." AJ spoke up, and the tension in the room slowly released.

"Alright then. River- lead the way." The doctor said, looking at the archeologist expectantly. Peter spoke up suddenly however, stopping them from leaving.

"Can I make a suggestion?" he asked. "It's nine o'clock at night; the creatures are twice as active in the dark and you all need to sleep. Why don't we go home, wait until morning when we have less chance of being frozen in time?"

"I hate to admit it, but he has a point." River agreed reluctantly. Clara nodded in agreement, causing AJ to sigh.

"Home it is." The doctor hesitated, casting a look at the tardis, but AJ shook her head. "Come on, if I have to then so do you."

They dragged him out together, boarding a shuttle and ending up in a surprisingly normal street.

"It… doesn't look too much different from earth." Clara observed as they walked quickly, staying under the street lamps and scanning the shadows instinctively.

"That was the idea when they built it." Peter told her as they reached an inconspicuous house at the end of the street. They slipped inside, Peter holding his finger to his lips to shush them.

"Hullo there." A plump brunette woman appeared in the doorway in front of them, smiling slightly at them. Clara guessed she was probably in her early forties, although they were on the moon so how would she know?

"Hiya Mum." Peter greeted.

"Hey auntie." AJ kissed her cheek.

"More guests?" the woman grinned wryly at them, and Peter looked sheepish.

"Sorry." She rolled her eyes, turning to the three adults.

"I'm Lydia." She introduced herself, turning slightly and groaning as a wail came from upstairs. "Not again!"

"Bad night?" asked AJ, which received an exhausted nod.

"This is the fifth time, and it's not even ten. How your sister's still sleeping I have no idea. Right, I'll get your brother, you sort out rooms." She instructed Peter, disappearing upstairs.

Once they were settled into rooms, River and Clara sharing and the doctor bunking with Peter, the house fell quiet.

"So what's he like? As a husband, I mean?" Clara rolled onto her stomach as she looked at River, who smirked.

"He's… the doctor." She shrugged, settling down.

"Descriptive." Commented Clara dryly. "These creatures- do you really think they can be beaten?"

"Everything can be beaten dear. It's whether _we _can beat them or not that's the problem." A gentle knock sounded at the door and AJ peeked her head around.

"Can I come in?"

"Course." She slipped in and curled up on the end of Clara's bed, bringing her knees to her chest and resting her chin on them.

"They'll take another victim tonight while we're tucked up doing nothing." The teenager said quietly.

"It's not your fault." River said gently.

"I know. That doesn't make it any easier." She glanced at the older woman, before staring blankly at the wall again. "Right now, somebody else is having their lives taken from them."


	4. Chapter 4

The group of four clambered across rocks that littered the base of the cliff. Peter had had to go to school and with River and the doctor flirting as the climbed; Clara was with AJ at the front of the group.

"Can I ask you something?" she glanced at AJ, who nodded as she watched where she was putting her feet.

"Sure."

"The doctor… I mean, _your _doctor- where is he? Why isn't he with you?" she panted out. AJ didn't answer for a moment.

"The doctor… has an almost pathological need to be constantly entertained. Almost like a child; he becomes irritable and bored very quickly. And to spend somewhere, having a normal life? Almost impossible. I think the longest he's ever lasted is four days on earth when there was a probable threat, but even that didn't last." AJ answered carefully.

"So he just… left you, after your mum died?" Clara sounded indignant on her behalf, grinned AJ.

"Actually, I doubt he even knows she's dead in my time stream. I told you, they always meet in the wrong order. The first time he met her is when she died, so from his point of view it's a little difficult to tell. And… even if he did come back? What would he do? He can't have two kids on the tardis with him, not with the amount of trouble he gets into on a daily basis. It's better this way."

"What about you though?" Clara enquired. "You're his daughter- do you have that same need to be entertained?"

"Not to the same degree. I'm still partially human, so while I hate being bored as much as the next kid, I can still settle down with a book I've read three times before and be perfectly content, or have nothing to do for a weekend and be just fine. The doctor on the other hand, he might make it to reading it two times but then he wouldn't be able to cope. But then there's Fae, who is more human than all of us and constantly watches the same film over and over again, which my parents and I wouldn't be able to do, especially my father. It's just how he is."

"Huh." Clara sounded thoughtful, and they continued in silence for another little way.

"Oh, come on, you know you like it!" River's voice drifted towards them from behind.

"Not in front of Clara and AJ, River!" the doctors' embarrassed voice came forward.

"Oh, they can't hear us. You haven't done Molinor yet, have you?"

"What's on Malinor?"

"Nothing sweetie. That was the point- we were completely alone." River's voice dropped seductively.

"Oh, ick." Muttered AJ, speeding up so she couldn't hear. Clara giggled at her expression, increasing her own pace to match the teenagers'. They arrived at the cave, crouching behind some rocks where a camera was discretely positioned. AJ quickly changed the batteries in it, ducking down behind the rocks so she was completely out of sight from the entrance.

"So. The front door, or look for a back way?" Clara asked in a whisper. They all exchanged glances.

"Since there's a distinct lack of a back door on the plans... Front door it is." River answered. She slipped her gun from its holster and held it loosely by her side as the doctor did the same with his sonic.

"You two- stay behind us." He instructed as they entered. Clara was more than happy to comply, but AJ rolled her eyes disbelievingly.

"Seriously?" She mumbled. Clara lent forward, and whispered almost imperceptibly-

"Once a parent, always a parent."

AJ dug her elbow into her side, causing her to exhale in a whoosh of air that sounded all too loud in the still of the caves. River turned and frowned at them- AJ smiled back innocently.

They walked for a while, staying as quiet as possible.

"Doctor. The angle of the floor... It's sloping downwards." Whispered AJ. He paused, scanning with his screwdriver and exhaling in surprise at the readings.

"What does that matter?" Clara was gazing at the floor. She couldn't see anything- it felt flat to her.

"We were on sea level when we entered..." Murmured AJ as she used her handheld to bring up plans and schematics of the cliffs.

"Which means the creatures must be advanced enough to build some kind of foundation that stops this place from flooding." Finished River as she trailed her fingers over the walls. Clara pondered that for a few seconds, before coming to a conclusion.

"And creatures that are that advanced wouldn't be randomly victimising people- they'd do it for a reason." She concurred. The doctor flashed her a proud smile.

"Exactly. And that's a problem." Confirmed River.

"It kinda explains why they suddenly stopped, then continued at a slower pace." AJ pointed out.

A loud clanking sounded from deeper in the cave, and they froze, looking at each other wide eyed.

"AJ, Clara, River, torches off." The doctor hissed. They followed his instructions without a word, the lights disappearing so that only his remained. Slowly, he reached out to grasp Rivers' hand, but she shook her head, drawing back slightly.

"Need my gun hand free, sweetie." She breathed into his ear, and motioned in the dim light for him to take Clara's instead, who slipped her other through AJ's, who in turn twisted the material of Rivers jacket around two of her fingers, so they could easily break free if needed. River looked faintly surprised that she knew to do this, but said nothing as the doctor started forward with the only light.

They advanced in a single line through the darkness, holding each other tightly so they didn't turn off into a sub-tunnel accidentally. All the while, the loud clanking continued.

"Is it me, or is it getting lighter?" Whispered AJ. The doctor flicked his torch off, and to their surprise the inky blackness had lightened enough that they could just make out shapes in it.

"It's coming from over there." Clara pointed in a direction a little to the left of where they'd originally been heading.

"Don't wander off!" The doctor hissed to them, before leading the way. They made their way through the tunnel and the light got brighter and brighter, until the tunnel opened out into a cavern.

"Oh…" Exhaled River as they stared.

"Oh my god!" That came from Clara, while AJ simply gasped.

The opening led to a huge cavern that stretched up into blackness, the wall jagged and the top out of view. In the centre of the cavern, suspended in mid air was a huge ball of energy that flickered and crackled, sometimes sending out arms of energy that hit the wall. It was a brilliant orange, although other colours were mixed in. Tiny blue creatures scurried around on the floor, some using the walls to get around. All looked as if they had a purpose, some carried tiny balls of energy themselves and fed it into the bigger ball, underneath which there was several pieces of machinery, which seemed to be causing the loud clanking.

"What… is it?" Clara asked, entranced by the energy that seemed to be alive. The doctor opened his mouth to answer, but AJ beat him to it.

"Time energy. It's… pure time energy." She answered slowly. Clara's eyes widened slightly.

"You mean like what the tardis uses?"

"Sort of. It's similar. Kind of." Came the teenagers reply.

"Oh. That's… helpful, thanks." Clara said sarcastically, but they were all quickly shushed by River.

"Look." Several of the creatures came in from a concealed entrance on the other side of the room. These ones were glowing a brighter blue, however, and moved with more energy. They bounded to a console that rested underneath the main body of energy, and at an unseen signal trails of energy shot out of it and hit each of the creatures. They writhed and convulsed, before just as quickly as it had begun the energy shot back and left the creatures, who lay on the ground. When they finally stood, they were a duller colour and moved slowly.

"Huh…" AJ said slowly. "Guess that's where the energy they take from people goes…"

"Lovely." Clara looked faintly disgusted. "Can we get it back?"

"What do you mean?" asked River as she programmed her handheld.

"Well, can we get the energy from the big ball thing and put it back into the people?" she asked.

"I… doctor? Doctor!" River hissed. The man in question was making his way around the edges of the cavern, scanning the energy with his screwdriver.

"What's he doing?!" exclaimed Clara. River looked furious.

"Oh, that stupid, impossible man!" she bit out, withdrawing her gun from its holster again.

"What do we do?" asked AJ.

"Nothing. We wait for him, and hope he knows what he's doing." River answered calmly although anger still shone on her face.

"We can't just-" Clara said loudly, eyebrows drawing together, but before she could alert the creatures River clapped her hand over her mouth.

"I'm alive because I trust the doctor, and as I know him I presume you probably are too. Now, that man does stupid things, yes, but it's almost always for a reason, and right now he's trusting us to stay out of trouble so he can concentrate on whatever it is he's doing. And if you can't do that, I am more than happy to knock you out and carry you back so you will. Ok?" she asked, slowly removing her hand when Clara nodded. "Good."

She pushed her and AJ back into the tunnel with strict instructions to stay put, before moving back to the opening and continuing to scan.

"I don't think she likes me." Whispered Clara.

"Really? What would give you that impression?" grinned AJ, keeping quiet as she shone the light upwards to illuminate face. Clara looked at her pointedly, which caused the teenager to giggle.

"Can't really blame her though, can you? First companion since her parents and you're a young, very pretty and fiery mystery. All the things he likes."

"Mystery? I've heard that before… why am I a mystery? And wait, her parents?" Clara was growing more confused by the minute. In the torchlight, AJ looked faintly alarmed.

"Er… her parents were the Ponds? Did the doctor mention them?" AJ said quickly.

"Pond… I think I've hear it before but he's never specifically mentioned them…

"Makes sense I guess. Ok, the short version? Dad crash landed in the garden of an eight year old girl named Amelia Pond, had to leave because of the tardis but promised to be back in five minutes. Obviously, this is him and he was late by twelve years, and then went away for another two by accident. Eventually ended up taking her with him after that- on the night before her wedding, of all times-, but after a few months she did what most companions do." AJ whispered, keeping her eyes on River who was only just out of earshot.

"What?"

"Fell in love with him… or thought she did. So he went and got her fiancé, Rory Williams and invited him along. Stuff happened; they eventually got married and on their wedding night rejoined the tardis. More stuff happened, and they found out Amy had been kidnapped, replaced with a ganger and was pregnant. Had a girl named Melody Pond, who was kidnapped and raised to be a psychopath whose only purpose was to kill the doctor. She did so, but he showed her how loved she was in the future by him and she saved his life instead. Took on a new name, lived her own life free of the people who'd abducted and raised her and even went on adventures of her own with him."

"I don't understand River is Melody?" asked Clara, but just then the doctor reappeared, so AJ leaned closer and whispered frantically.

"The only water in the forest is the river that runs through it- there are no ponds. And the only word for melody in their language is song." As the married couple began to make their way towards them, Clara had one last question.

"Why are you telling me this?" AJ stood up gracefully, looking down at Clara.

"Because one day you're going to need to know it, and I know neither of them will tell you." She walked over to the bickering couple, leaving Clara on the floor, wondering what on earth she meant.

**_Hello again! Thanks to everyone who favourited/followed etc. Please tell me what you think of this chapter- I wasn't sure if it made complete sense or not X_**


	5. Chapter 5

**_Hello! Two things here- 1) If you watch Body of Proof, please join the group on facebook trying to save it. It's a great show, with brilliant acting and storylines and we're hoping they uncancel it! _**

**_2) Pretty pretty please review? With cherries and sprinkles on top? I'd like to know if you're all enjoying this or not X_**

"So, we have no chance, is that what you're saying?" Peter asked incredulously.

"Not no chance… just… almost impossible." The doctor amended, then frowned. "Not helping, am I?"

"How almsot impossible?" AJ interrupted with an eye roll. The doctor thought for a second.

"Fifty, fifty?" he offered. AJ forced a smile.

"Yay." She turned around and looked around the room for a moment, before frowning.

"What is it…?" she murmured.

"What's what?" questioned Clara.

"I don't know. Just something… I'm working on it." AJ fidgeted uncomfortably, pacing slowly around the room as the doctor theorised aloud.

"Big ball of energy, what's it for? Obviously important, they've been creating it for almost two years. So- food source? Could be, but why not just eat? Why store it? So not food. Could be a beacon- it's not broadcasting yet but it could in the future. Could also be a home, except it seems almost alive. What changes between the alien thingy's taking it from humans and feeding it into the big ball of energy?" he sat abruptly on the floor, staring at nothing as his mind worked.

"You can practically see the cogs turning." Smirked Peter. Clara giggled.

"_UNLESS IT'S NOT ENERGY!_" the doctor yelled suddenly, flying from his seat on the floor and jumping about randomly and causing Clara and Peter to jolt in surprise.

"Oh, I am good! I am very, _very _good!" he said, catching Clara's hands in his own and swinging her about energetically.

"Doctor!" she laughed.

"It's not a ball of energy, it's a ball _feeding _off the energy! It needs to stay alive, and my guess is he wants to grow which is why the pace sped up! He was only a baby when it started, now he's a big ol' child and he's hungry!" he spun on the spot, looking pleased with himself.

"So you can stop it?" Clara asked hopefully.

"_Him. _And probably. Maybe. The little blue creatures running about are servants, tasked with finding him food until he's old enough to walk about himself. So, we simply have to bypass them and go to the main man himself."

"I don't…"

"Think of a royal, spoilt prince." Explained the doctor as he perched in front of Clara and Peter. "He's got somebody to do everything for him, doesn't even have to feed himself, so the only way we can get through to him that what he's doing is wrong is by talking to him. He doesn't know- he's been dumped in a virtual prison, but he doesn't know any better. We simply teach him which is a better food source, and he'll order the blue thingy's to get food from there instead."

"There'll still be an alien living on out planet!" Peter's eyes were wide.

"There are always aliens living on your planet! You just don't see them." The doctor told him, but soon whirled around when a loud gasp came from AJ, who was standing at one of the computers, staring at some kind of report that had just flashed up on screen.

"Oh my god!" she sprinted out the room, much to confusion of the other three. They looked at each other for a split second, before taking off after her.

"Li!" called Peter as they flew down the corridor. The teenager didn't stop though, racing through a door at the end without knocking and pushing through the ring of armed guards. They finally caught up with her when she was standing still in the doorway, staring horrified at something further into the room.

"Oh no…" whispered Clara, taking a moment to glance at the doctor's stony face. For in the middle of the room, gun out and a look of concentration on her face was River Song, frozen, with a chattering blue creature perched on her shoulder.

* * *

"I don't like it. What if you get frozen in time too? Then what happens?" objected Clara. They were back in the office having watched silently as River was loaded onto an ambulance and taken to one of the specialist wards. The alien had leapt out of the window and vanished.

"I'm a time lord! I can't be frozen in time." The doctor assured her. Clara looked skeptical.

"That sounded like a lie even to me."

"For a thousand year old alien, you don't lie all that well." Commented AJ quietly. She sat cross legged on the ground by the window, leaning into Peter.

"I lie perfectly well!" he protested. At their raised eyebrows, he sighed, and amended his statement. "Ok, most of the time."

"Look, the point still remains. You want to walk into an alien hideout by yourself and reason with the child-alien! It's bonkers!" Clara told him.

"I will be fine. But it may be the only way to save River and the others. I have to try." He kissed her forehead, and gave a small salute to the two teenagers.

"AJ, look after her!" he called over his shoulder, before he walked purposefully out the room. There was silence for a long moment.

"You're going after him aren't you?" Peter said, still looking at the doorway the doctor had disappeared out of.

"Course." Answered AJ. "You coming Clara?"

"Why not." Shrugged Clara. She met AJ's eyes, and they both began to laugh.

'He's going to kill us." AJ reminded her as she slid a gun into her belt.

"Nah. He likes me, remember? An annoying kid like you, on the other hand..." She'd trailed off, hiding her grin when she felt something hit her.

"Oi!" She turned to find another pillow flying through the air, hitting her square in the face. AJ laughed as she skipped out the room. Clara chased after her, while Peter followed at a more sedate pace.

"Crazy girls." He mumbled.

Once they'd reached the caves again, they'd sobered and slipped silently inside, none betraying the nerves they'd felt. Retracing their previous steps, they ended up at the same narrow opening as before and hunkered down to watch. The doctor was standing in the centre, talking to the energy.

"I understand that, but these people are living, breathing humans! Amazing and wonderful and infuriating but _so alive. _You can't just go around eating their time energy!" In response to the this, the strange creature hidden by the energy chattered and moaned.

"I... of course not! But there are other ways-" he was cut off by more chattering.

"AJ, look." Whispered Clara, wondering slightly why she was delegating a teenage girl as leader.

'_Because she actually knows what she's talking about._' Said a voice in her head. She pointed to the smaller blue creatures who were surrounding the doctor, who couldn't see them while talking to the child alien.

"Did you even... Hey! What're you-?" The creatures surrounded the doctor, swarming over him and bringing him to his knees. The alien chattered, and AJ paled rapidly.

"What? What did it say?" Asked Peter urgently.

"It...it said the doctor has so much time energy, that eating it would keep him full for a long time. He's going to... No!" AJ hurtled out of the hiding place, causing Peter and Clara to curse and scramble after her, although they stopped after just a few steps. AJ skidded to a stop beside the doctor.

"Please. Take me instead- there's something he has to do in the future which he won't be able to if you kill him now." The teenager pleaded with the unseen alien, pointedly ignoring the doctors wordless protests and mumbling through the gag he now wore.

"I am too." AJ said in response to something. She nodded slowly. "Yes, I know... I know that as well." The creatures dragged the doctor back to where the bemused Clara and Peter were standing, leaving AJ alone in front of the energy. Clara helped the doctor up gently, removing the gag and hand ties- she wasn't entirely sure where they'd come from- and slipping her arm around his waist to support him.

"No.. AJ..." He tried to reach to the teenager, but Clara held him back.

"She knows what she's doing." She told him as she watched the girl in question. In truth, she had no idea if AJ knew what she was doing, but if there was one thing Clara had learned from the past few days it was that time was important. If the doctor died here, AJ would never be born and nor would Fae, Clara reflected.

AJ looked back at them, fear and confidence in her gaze.

"I am so sorry." She said.

"For what?" Whispered the doctor in confusion.

"For what I'm about to do. It will mess up timelines, and I have no idea how much. And I'm sorry." She told them earnestly. She turned back to the creature and flicked her long braid back, back ramrod straight and chin held high. She stared calmly at the ball of energy, until suddenly, a tendril flicked out and hit her.

She was forced back a step, but didn't make a sound even as Clara screamed and the doctor lunged forward. But he hit a shield, and was reminded horribly of the last time he'd met the teenager, when Kovarian had hurt her sister in front of him and he couldn't stop it.

"Li!" Called Peter desperately. Another tendril hit her, and another and another, causing her to fall to the ground, convulsing and shaking violently but she still didn't make a sound, despite the fact her face was contorted into a silent scream.

After what seemed like an eternity, AJ fell still and the arms of energy retracted back into the swollen ball. Clara had tears running down her face while the doctor and Peter seemed frozen, staring in horror at the lifeless girl.

"Is she...?" Whispered Peter. The doctor nodded slowly.

"Yes." He choked out.

And then AJ's eyes snapped open.

"Li!" Called Peter. AJ looked at him fearfully, dropping her gaze to her hands. They'd begun to glow a brilliant gold, and the girl rolled onto her knees and stood gracefully, hands held out in front of her as they began to glow more brightly.

"Impossible." Breathed the doctor. But AJ's face was beginning to glow too, and she cast one last apologetic look at the astonished group before the light enveloped her and she let out a single scream. But after just a few seconds, she threw her arms towards the ball of energy, letting the brilliant light flow out of her and into it. It writhed and screamed, and for a split second the bright energy parted and the body of the alien became visible, before the golden light from AJ enveloped it.

And just as quickly as if had started, it finished. AJ slumped to the ground and the ball of energy containing the alien was gone. The doctor rushed to the teenager, rolling her over to cradle her and recoiling slightly at her unchanged face.

"I don't understand..." He murmured.

"You're not supposed to." She whispered as her eyes flickered open.

"Who are you?" The doctor almost begged. AJ looked at him sadly.

"I can't..." She started, but he shook his head violently.

"No! No, please, I need to know. You can't exist! Who are you?" AJ watched him for another few seconds, before seeming to come to a decision. She smiled faintly.

"Spoilers." She whispered, grinning wider at the slowly dawning realisation on the doctors face.

"Oh!" He said, gazing down at her. Her smirk grew, and she raised an eyebrow.

"What you were expecting?" She asked cockily, voice rough, shifting slightly in his arms.

"Not really, no. You...?" He stumbled. She smirked even wider. Finally, he seemed to settle on something.

"Hello." He grinned.

"Hi."

"You're my...?"

"Yep."

"And you're River's...?

"Uh huh."

"So you're our..."

"That's right."

The doctor let out a nervous giggle.

"Hello." He grinned. AJ smiled tiredly, but happily.

"This again?"

"Sorry. But you're my...?"

"Clara?"

"On it." Clara slapped the back of the doctors head.

"Ow! Clara!... But you're...?"

"DOCTOR!"


	6. Chapter 6

"I don't understand." Panted Clara as they raced back to the hospital. AJ gripped Peters hand tightly as she half ran, half stumbled beside him.

"I directed the regeneration energy-"

"Which shouldn't have been possible!" The doctor interjected, long limbs flailing.

"Into the creature. Since regeneration energy basically is pure, slightly altered and very strange time energy, I simply used it to reverse the ageing of the alien. That meant the 'food' it had consumed was released, and the creature died." AJ finished, glaring slightly at the doctor for his interruption.

"Why'd it die?" questioned Peter, before hastily adding- "Not that I'm complaining!"

"I may have… fed too much energy into it. De-aged it to the point it couldn't survive outside a womb… or egg… or whatever." AJ answered sheepishly.

"None of which should have been possible!" the doctor waved his arms in the air. "You can't do that with regeneration energy- it just doesn't work!"

"No offence, I'm a timelord plus human living in a human earth colony on the moon! It didn't exactly come with an instruction manual! I had to figure it out as I went along, and I had to experiment."

"Which was dangerous! Who knows what you've done!" the doctor argued, slowing down as they reached the doors of the hospital.

"Oh, save me the lecture. You already gave it to me, and it didn't work then either." AJ rolled her eyes frustratedly, winding her way expertly through the throngs of people that lined the corridors until they reached a door at the end of one. She pushed her way in, the others following closely.

People were sitting up in bed, looking around them confusedly. Some had crying relatives around them, and doctors milled around examining them while nurses hurried to and fro as well.

River was easily visible, dressed like the other patients in white cotton scrubs and her hair curled around her head.

"River!" called AJ, pushing through to her and dragging the doctor by the hand behind her. The doctor immediately pulled the bemused woman into his arms, hugging her fiercely and burying his face in her hair. Peter and Clara reached them too, the former winding his arms around AJ with a grin.

"Could you please take a holiday now?" he implored her. She laughed, turning into his embrace and slipping her arms around his neck.

"I think that could be arranged." She murmured, kissing him sweetly. They heard a choking noise and looked around to see the doctor staring at them with bug eyes, hands still on River's waist.

"Don't even go there." AJ warned. Clara chuckled, shepherding the two teens out.

"Come on, before you mess up the timelines even more." She said, amused.

They'd made their way back to the house, later followed by the doctor. River had been sent back to her own time, and was back in stormcage; although Clara hadn't understood the saucy 'see you later' she'd given the doctor. After all- she was in prison! AJ sat on the floor with Fae on her lap, playing idly with her sisters' hair and Clara and the doctor on the sofa with Peter as they chatted.

"OK, there's one thing I don't understand." Clara spoke suddenly. "Why were we arrested when we first arrived- we'd never been here before?"

AJ laughed. "Clara, you know how sometimes the doctor flies the tardis and you end up landing a few years out, or in the wrong place?"

"Yes…?"

"Well… let's just say it happens a lot." Clara looked confused, but the doctor groaned slightly.

"Oops…" he grinned.

"What?"

"She means at some point in our future, I try to get us here again and we end up landing a few years ago."

"Oh. That… doesn't actually surprise me." Said Clara thoughtfully.

"Hey!" cried the doctor indignantly. Fae had wandered away by this point. A few minutes after, he spoke up again.

"AJ… what's your real name?" asked the doctor. AJ smirked and shook her head.

"Oh, no way. I'd like to keep _some _aspect of my timeline intact, thank you." She said cheekily.

"Ok… you may have a point there. But where's River in your timeline…?" he asked, looking confused when AJ stiffened and looked stony.

"She's… um… on an expedition." She said, biting her lip as she quickly thought up an answer. The doctor frowned at her changed demeanor.

"To where?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

"A library." She answered nonchalantly, but the effect on the doctor was instantaneous as he jolted and stiffened.

"The Lux Library?" he asked softly. AJ nodded shakily. The doctor looked at her sadly.

"I'm sorry." AJ stared at him for a long moment.

"You're sorry?" she whispered hoarsely. The doctor nodded shamefully, hesitating at the look on her face.

"Oh, that's OK then! You're a time traveler, you burnt up a sun to say goodbye to Rose Tyler, you almost ripped apart the universe to find Melody Pond, you change time on a daily basis! Why didn't you save her!" AJ yelled, pushing to her feet and clenching her fists.

"I… wait, you don't know?" the doctor started to defend himself, then stopped abruptly, staring at her in surprise.

"Know what?" she asked angrily.

"What happened. What I did…" he trailed off when he saw her face, which had the answer written on it. "But, why wouldn't I tell you…?"

"Tell me _what?_" she ground out. "I haven't seen you in almost a year. You haven't even phoned since she died- when would you have had a chance to tell me anything?!" she bit out sarcastically.

"I… look, I don't why- I haven't lived it yet. But I need to show you something- will you trust me?" he held out a hand to her, and slowly she slipped hers into it, face still angry and grief-stricken. He pulled her into the tardis, quickly followed by Clara. Seconds later, it disappeared.


	7. Chapter 7

"She'll be a hologram- you won't be able to touch her, but you can talk with her." The doctor explained softly. AJ stared at him in shock and uncertainty.

"And... It'll be her? I mean, really her? Not just... An echo, or a remnant or whatever, really her?" She stammered out, an sliver of hope creeping into her voice.

"It's her consciousness, projected into an image that can speak and move. Thank the tardis- she's the one with the voice interface I could use. It's really her." The doctor confirmed. AJ swallowed visibly, glancing at the doors and then back at him. Slowly, he held out his hand to her once again.

"Come along, Song." He said softly. Never taking her eyes from his, she placed her hand lightly on his, moving with infinite care. His fingers closed around hers and they walked form the tardis with the doctor leading her, stepping out into the room beyond. Curious, Clara followed silently, slipping through the doors and leaning against them.

They were in a large room that overlooked a courtyard, many stories above ground level. Standing at the window, looking out Clara saw River's unmistakeable hair glowing in the morning light. She wasn't quite real however- her image was slightly translucent and flickered from time to time.

"Mum..." Breathed AJ. River turned, bright smile spreading across her face as she caught sight of them, but instinctively she waited for AJ to come to doctor stopped walking, his hand falling reluctantly from the teenagers'. She paused uncertainly, looking to him for reassurance but he smiled with only a hint of sadness and gestured for her to continue. Nervously, she walked forward, eyes fixed on the woman in front of her.

"Hello darling." River choked out, eyes shining with tears as a smile played across her lips.

"Mum." AJ let out in a sob, trembling slightly as she stopped in front of her. The doctor stepped back to give them some privacy, leaning against the tardis beside Clara.

"You really loved her, didn't you?" Clara asked softly. The doctor looked at her with a sheen of tears in his eyes.

"She was... Made just for me. She challenged me when no one else could, and did what no else would. It was River I ran to when I needed help, River I went to if I needed grounding. She would swan in with a 'hello sweetie' and a gun strapped to her hip, lying and keeping secrets because I told her to, then disappear just as quickly. I destroyed her life from before she was even conceived, and yet..." The doctor stopped, choked, but clara thought she understood regardless. She slipped her hand into his, squeezing slightly, which he returned gratefully.

"I never told her." He said suddenly. Clara looked at him with confusion.

"Pardon?"

"I never told her I loved her. At first because I didn't, then because I didn't trust her, and them because I just... Couldn't."

"Tell her now." Clara said immediately. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Doctor, you have a chance most people would kill to get. A chance to say goodbye, to see the person you love one last time when normally it would be impossible. I would give anything to say good bye to my mum, to tell her I love her one last time, but I can't. You have that chance- don't waste it."

She spoke earnestly, speeding up as she caught sight of AJ and River walking towards them. She finished just as they came into earshot, and AJ gave one last tearful smile to the woman, before walking towards Clara and the doctor. She grinned at him, and made a shoeing gesture at him. Clara slipped her arm around her shoulders.

"You ok?"

"No. But I will be." Her voice was shaky but confident, and she nestled in closer to Clara.

"Professor Song." The doctor tipped an imaginary hat towards River, who smiled affectionately.

"Hello sweetie." She whispered. They stared at each other in silence, before the doctor finally spoke.

"River... I'm so sorry-" he began, but she cut him off.

"This was my choice, doctor. Nobody else's."

"You died saving me." River sighed, looking down at her hands before back up at him.

"Yes, my love, and I would a hundred times over if I could. But it wasn't all about you- I knew the universe needed you. There is... So much you haven't done yet, things that would destroy me if I lost them."

"You mean our daughters?" He asked with a smug smile. She opened her mouth in surprise, before rolling her eyes slightly.

"You're not supposed to know about them yet. From your point of view I'm not even pregnant."

"It was entirely unintentional. AJ did her best to hide it, but when she began spewing regeneration energy in front of me and there were aliens dying, it was a little hard to disguise." River frowned slightly, but merriment danced in her eyes.

"Sounds like I missed quite the party." She grinned sadly. She flickered again, and looked to her left at something unseen, before turning her gaze back to the doctor.

"You did. You raised an amazing girl, River. Our eldest daughter is simply... Brilliant." He told her, and she smiled happily at him.

"Isn't she just? Our little joy." she paused, eyes un focusing them refocusing again. "Doctor... I have a favour to ask." She stepped towards him so they were as close as they could be without her falling through him.

"Once upon a time, we stood on the top of a pyramid in a non-existent timeline and you asked me to kill you to save the universe. And now, husband, I have a similar request."

"River-' the doctor started but she shushed him with tears running down her face.

"Please, my love. I have been in here for centuries. Hundreds and hundreds of years without my husband or my daughters, or even my parents. And it hurts, doctor, it hurts. I thought I could survive, for your sake but I can't. I can't bear it for another day."

"You want to die." He whispered, ignoring AJ's small cry from behind him.

'No, my love, not especially. I just don't want to live like this." She brought her hand up to cup his cheek, and although he couldn't physically feel it he shivered violently, eyes closing at remembered sensations.

"River... My River." He whispered, trailing his fingers over where her cheeks would be. "My Melody Pond, the superhero."

River smiled sadly at him.

"Wife, I can't kill you." He murmured. Her face fell, but he held up a finger to stop her protest before it could pass her lips.

"But I can't let you suffer either. So, would you compromise?" Her face twisted in confusion.

"I don't understand."

"I'm so close to finding a way for you to live. In fact, I think I have. And now I have AJ, who is just as clever as I am to help me, I_ know _I can save you. So will you let me try, River? I need just a little more time, but can you give me that? And... If it doesn't work, if you're still trapped in the data core afterwards, then... Then I promise, I will set you free." He choked over the last part, voice breaking as a single tear tracked down his cheek. Rivers own face shone with tears, and she nodded slowly.

"Ok. But you have to promise, if it doesn't work you will let me go, you impossible man." She whispered, to which he nodded hesitantly.

"I know. But it will work, Wife, I know it will. You and me, time and space." He grinned.

"You watch us run." She it let out in a half sob, smiling through the tears that fell. Her image was flickering violently. "I have to go, my love. CAL is hurting with the extra energy."

He nodded, trailing his fingers over her face one final time before stepping back, drawing AJ to him without conscious thought. River smiled at them, waving to Clara and blowing one last kiss as she flickered, them faded.

"Till the next time, sweeties." Her voice whispered around them.

"You really think you can save her?" The doctor looked down at the tear-faced girl in his arms, and smiled brilliantly.

"Course _we_ can. Trust me, I'm the doctor." He winked, and AJ let out a laugh. They turned back to the tardis, the doctor wrapping his other arm around Clara, and left the library.

_**OK, sorry! I thought i'd uploaded this, then got distracted with exams and such before only just realising I hadn't posted it yet! Sorry! Anyway, my exams are all over now (YAY!) and the sequel is up as soon as I'm finished with this- called 'The Better Option'. Here's a sneak peek, and please please review! X**_

_Amelia Joy Song was running faster than she ever had before. Which, for someone who got into much trouble as she did on a regular basis, was quite a feat._

_In the dead of night, she sprinted through the streets of some little town on earth- she hadn't paid much attention when she'd landed, too intent on following the strange signal her computer had picked up. Legs pumping, she flew down a side street and past a row of pretty little cottages, no doubt full of innocent people sleeping soundly. Which kind of left screaming out. Vaguely, she registered the sound of crashing waves, and skidded to a stop inches away from the edge of a cliff._

_"Oops. Not that way then." She mumbled, taking off parallel to the steep drop. She soon found herself running back through the centre of the seaside town, past little souvenir shops and fish and chip shops and ice cream parlours, all closed and empty for hours. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of an incoming statue and swerved, cursing her own curiosity once again. She slowed to a jog as she entered a disused alley, gasping for air as she looked around behind her. Scanning visually the way she'd just come, she used the wall beside her as a guide as she strained to see through the inky blackness. She swung back around quickly, crying out as she caught sight of the two angels that had appeared from nowhere._

_"Don't. Blink." She whispered to herself. Overhead, the dim street lamps began to flicker._

_"Good evening, Miss Song." A snide voice came from behind her, so AJ turned just enough to see its source out of the corner of her eye._

_"Kovarian." She acknowledged bitterly. The members of the silence surrounding her hissed, and stepped forward, so with trembling fingers she slipped the marker from her pocket and marked the skin of her hand, all without letting either foe out of her sight._

_"You seem to be in a bit of a pickle." The older woman sneered. AJ smiled innocently._

_"A little, yes. You don't fancy calling off your pets and helping me out a little, do you?" Her mind ran thought the ways she could get out of this, all the while holding the marker tightly and wishing she had a vortex manipulator on her._

_"Hm. I think not. There's no way out, Amelia." AJ began to smile at this as an idea formed in her head._

_"Oh Madame Kovarian. There's one thing my mother taught me over all these years." She saw, out of her peripheral vision, Kovarian raise a questioning eyebrow._

_"There is _always_ a way out." AJ smiled sweetly. And blinked._


End file.
